NOBCChENOBCChE has received a tremendous response to its initial call for abstracts and travel grant applications for the 2016 NOBCChE Conference in Raleigh. At the request of a number of our key conference partners, however, and in recognition of the fact that many students are just getting back to school, we are extending the deadline to Sept. 12.

We are particularly seeking abstracts from professionals and faculty.Students are also encouraged to submit abstracts for talks and posters; however, please note the applications for the Advancing Science Conference Grant during the extension will be considered on a funds-available basis.

The Chemical Educational Foundation®, a nationally recognized nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing grade K-8 students' appreciation of the science and value of chemistry, is currently looking for science educators and professionals who are interested in volunteering as part of their Content Development Team. CDT reviews the scientific content for our You Be The Chemist Challenge® program. The Challenge is an academic competition for students in grades 5-8 that tests their knowledge of chemistry against the backdrop of a fun, quiz-bowl style competition. The CDT collaborates with CEF staff via email, which allows CDT members to shape their involvement to fit their own time constraints.
Last year the challenge reached over 50,000 students across 37 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. By collaborating with CEF as part of the Content Development Team, you can have a significant, far-reaching impact on students at a time that is crucial to developing an interest in the sciences and in STEM careers.

By Angela K. Wilson via National Science FoundationAs summer begins, I draw your attention to several NSF solicitations and Dear Colleague Letters. Please note that the appropriate contact person for each of the programs is included within the documentation accessed via the links provided.

(1) Centers for Chemical Innovation (CCI)

For the first time in a number of years, there is a solicitation for Phase 1 proposals for Centers for Chemical Innovation. Program The CCI Program supports research centers focused on major, long-term fundamental chemical research challenges, and CCI's that address these challenges will produce transformative research, lead to innovation, and attract broad scientific and public interest. Support for at least four Phase 1 CCI's is planned. CCI Phase 1 awards are for three years, and up to $600,000/year. Near the end of the three-year period, Phase 1 CCI's may compete to have a Phase 2 Center, with a possibility of renewal, pending availability of funds and submission of sufficient quality proposals. Phase 2 Center support can be up to $4,000,000/year for five years, totaling $20,000,000.

The deadline for the required preliminary proposals for the Phase 1 solicitation is Sept. 15, 2016, and invited full proposals for Phase 1 are due on March 14, 2017. READ MORE

Argonne National Laboratory seeks applications for the highly prestigious 2017 Named Fellowship. Fellows are hired as Argonne Scholars with full benefits, a competitive salary and a stipend for research support.
For more information and to apply go visit: http://www.anl.gov/careers/apply-job/argonne-fellowships

The FlowSight offers high performance in a small package. Its design increases signal and minimizes noise to provide unmatched fluorescence sensitivity. Twelve detection channels simultaneously produce brightfield, darkfield and up to ten channels of fluorescence imagery of every cell. This enables a broad range of applications.
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American Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science needs scientists, engineers, mathematicians and physicians to assist K-12 STEM teachers in the Washington DC Metro Area, during the 2016-17 school year.

Details of the collaboration are worked out between the teacher and the volunteer, and may involve giving demonstrations, assisting in lab experiments, lecturing on special topics, assisting with homework, etc. The hours are flexible, and volunteers attend a one-day training in September before being assigned to schools. To see how volunteers are assisting their teachers, view the video clips at www.seniorscientist.org.

The New York TimesOne day in August 2015, the Princeton University neuroscientist Yael Niv saw an email notice of a conference on deep brain stimulation, a hot topic in treatment for depression and other mental disorders. Dr. Niv noticed that none of the 21 scientists scheduled to speak were women.
This was not the first time Dr. Niv had lamented a skewed lineup. For years, she had tried to persuade other conference organizers, sometimes successfully, to invite more women to speak. But something about this particular conference, perhaps that the organizers were women, pushed her and about 20 other female scientists to take action. READ MORE

Fast CompanyIf you’re searching for your next gig, pull out your resume. Take a look at the experience it recounts and see how well it answers this question:
When did your passion for what you do really begin?
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KGBT-TVLeaders in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, fields are in increasing demand.
However, data from the Alliance for Science and Technology Research in America shows that Texas high school girls are losing interest in STEM fields, making them a minority in STEM education and related careers.
"Right now the [U.S.] population consists of 30 percent of underrepresented minorities,” said Dr. Cristina Villalobos, director of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley's Center of Excellence in STEM Education.READ MORE

By Bambi Majumdar U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. recently urged parents to help encourage and bring about more diversity in the teaching workforce in order to keep up with the growing student diversity in K-12 schools. King received a lot of flak after his speech despite the student-teacher ratios that support his stance. A new report found major gaps in the teaching workforce pipeline and a severe lack of diversity among teachers at K-12 public schools across the country.
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MultiBriefsIn an effort to enhance the overall content of NOBCChE eBrief, we'd like to include peer-written articles in future editions. As a member of NOBCChE, your knowledge of the industry lends itself to unprecedented expertise. And we're hoping you'll share this expertise with your peers through well-written commentary. Because of the digital format, there's no word limit and our group of talented editors can help with final edits. If you're interested in participating, please contact Ronnie Richard to discuss logistics.

DiverseIn order to diversify the workforce of the aerospace and defense industries, business and higher education leaders must be proactive and intentional about collaborating to provide more opportunities to students from underrepresented groups.
That was the heart of the message that a series of speakers delivered recently at the 2016 National Aerospace & Defense Workforce Summit, convened by the Aerospace Industries Association and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.READ MORE

ScienceChange is coming to academic science, predicts labor economist Paula Stephan of Georgia State University in Atlanta. As she wrote in her 2012 book How Economics Shapes Science, "[c]ost affects the way research is conducted," and with recent developments affecting the cost of employing postdocs and graduate students in the U.S., lab chiefs and early-career scientists are likely to see some concrete examples. As principal investigators seek new ways to get research done, early-career scientists will likely see some opportunities vanish and, perhaps, others appear.
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Business.comThere's a simple approach that the most successful job seekers use to quickly stand out in their interview, grab the hiring manager's attention, and send a signal that they are in demand.
It isn't a single answer they give, and it's not a trick; it's a mentality that will change how you respond to a wide variety of questions.READ MORE